Save the Nation
by Depressed Paperbag
Summary: Attempting to recover from the memories of his past and the burden he carries, Yasune is an assassin for the Revolutionary army who was once a humble student at the Koukenji temple. Strong-willed, a little arrogant, but loyal to those around him, he fights for a seemingly frail cause. To see the birth a new nation is his one and only goal, no matter what end should befall him.
1. Kill the Memories

_As demons begin to take the form of humans_

_Evil plagues the world_

_Assassins rise from the ashes of the fallen_

_To banish the evil from the earth_

_To see the birth of a new country_

_Is a goal they will bring to their graves._

* * *

**Save the Nation**

**By Depressed Paperbag**

**Chapter One: Kill the Memories**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Akame Ga Kiru. All anime/manga characters belong to Takahiro._

In the midst of war, both powerful factions, the Revolutionary army and the Imperial army have fought each other for many years. Some wish to see the new age of the nation, but some simply fight to protect their country.

A country that has been torn apart by demonic beings.

Many fear the future of the nation. Those who serve the empire have been become soldiers of the Imperial army, forced to fight the opposing armies of the west and south. A seemingly endless war plagues the world, breeding suffering and pain for Rebels and Imperials alike. There are some who truly resist the tyranny of the Prime Minister.

Some of those reside in the front lines of the Revolutionary army.

The majority of the brave souls are in secret groups that affiliate themselves with the Revolution.

However, there are those individually, who carry a deep resentment for their own personal reasons, while still focusing on the true dream of the Revolutionary army.

Yet, many question the loyalty of these emotion-driven soldiers.

Where their loyalty truly lie, whether with their deceased loved ones or their officers, is debatable among the ranks of soldiers.

Surprisingly, there is only one young man who has such a "unique" mind.

He currently resides in a quiet, but dangerous land in the west that is being ravaged by war.

* * *

"Hey, I know you've been okay going solo for a long time now, but this time, I have to-"

"Be quiet and tell the captain that I will be fine by myself as always!" The boy yelled back, putting his short boots on. "I don't need to be burdened."

"Ugh." The man groaned. _"What the hell is wrong with this kid?"_

_"It's merely nothing more than a assassination on a low-ranking officer." _He sighed, tugging his light blue scarf and fixing his shin guards. _"I am more than enough!"_

"**Yasune**, it is time for you to go." His leading officer opened his large tent flap and announced that his mission was beginning. "You should really bring someone with you. It's bad to be alone."

"Has it ever come to your minds that being together with someone is equally ill?" Yasune responded, checking the straps on his hard leather body armor over his long grey shirt. He patted his brown pants as he double checked the straps on his sword belt, attached with a small pouch bag. He also checked the leather straps that surrounded his thighs.

His officer sighed. "If that's what you want."

"..." He didn't respond back.

"Get moving, those Imperials are probably sleeping in their bunks as we speak." His officer then left him alone to check his equipment.

Yasune tightened the straps on his leather elbow guards and his beige gloves. He touched the two hilts of his weapons behind his waist. He didn't understand why, but he always liked to check everything he had before he embarked on his missions. It was organized and made him feel slightly better whenever he was going on a mission.

Not wasting anymore time, Yasune dashed out of his tent with haste.

He would see to it that the target's life would end. By his own hand, of course.

Yasune had no objections with killing such worthless pieces of corrupted trash.

He never understood why, but he found it "enjoyable" during some occasions.

* * *

Carefully going through the areas that are heavily vegetated, Yasune made his way to the location he was informed of. It was the middle of the night. Quiet, breezy, and ideal for infiltrating medium-sized Imperial camps.

Almost sprinting his way through the forests without halting, he soon took cover behind a tree once he saw two men patrolling around the camp.

He knew that it would take too long to pass through these guards without killing them, as they were in the way of his path.

_"I do not feel the presence of other obstacles. These two are the only ones. This shouldn't be a hindrance at all."_

Yasune carefully drew out his blades. He held one in a reversed grip, another in a regular forward grip. Without a blink, he quickly jumped out of his spot and hurled his left sword at one of the unfortunate guards. It entered into his eye socket and went threw his skull. He then leaped at the second man, swiping once at his neck and cutting his throat. He gagged for several seconds, before expiring.

Yasune calmly retrieved his hurled blade and sheathed them back to their respectful scabbards. An unexpected obstacle just got in his way and he had dealt with it, he didn't have to think more or less about it. However, to ensure that they had died, Yasune drew one of his blades and stabbed both of the men in the location of their hearts.

Yasune had always believed that confirming the kill was the number one rule for being an effective killer. No matter how it was done. Whether it was confirmed by a report or by a stab or two to the heart, it didn't matter to him.

Continuing his mission, he was beginning to get near to the enemy camp. It was very quiet and only a few fires were lit around the camp that he overlooked from the top of the steep hill. Yasune carefully slid down the steep hill, hoping that no one noticed a shady figure sliding down the hill that was the pathway for the distant Rebel camp.

Getting on flat land, he quickly took cover behind a tent house. There were only a few soldiers up and many of them were camped around the few fires that were lit around the campsites. Upon stalking around to find his target, he noticed someone who looked far more well-worn than the other men.

He had the suit of an Imperial officer. His facial appearances matched what he was briefed on as well.

_"That man is my target. Perhaps I should give him the long "rest" he desires." _Yasune thought.

* * *

After a long night of drinking with his men, the corrupted officer retired to his personal bunk in a large tent house. He was tired and wanted to be ready for tomorrow to plan an attack on the nearby rebel camp in the morning. Then, he'd have to file a successful report back to the empire. If he were to fail, the Prime Minister would definitely have his head on a stick.

Literally.

"Ah! Nothing better than a drink after bed." The officer said, dropping his rear on his bunk. "I'd best get some sleep to get rid of those Rebel savages."

Suddenly, a pair of arms harshly snaked around his neck from the darkness behind his bunk. He gagged as he felt sharp, cold steel dig into his throat. The blade went deeper and deeper into his neck. A firm hand covered his mouth, preventing him from spitting out any excess blood and any screaming for help.

"Allow me to let you sleep forever, dog of the empire." A voice emitted from behind him.

It was the last thing he heard before the assassin snapped his neck with one hard twist. The body of the officer fell from the bunk with a tiny, but unnoticeable bang to the dirt ground below him. His throat was still gushing blood, despite that he was dead.

Yasune sighed and cleaned his one of many daggers that he kept within several small sheathes with a cloth in his pouch. He threw the bloody cloth on the dead body and looked at it in disgust. He didn't even have to use both of his main weapons to take down the piece of trash that laid before him.

"What a waste of time.." Yasune muttered.

With that he silently made his way out the tent without anyone noticing him. The Imperials were truly horrid guards that made his jobs generally easy.

As Yasune was about several feet away from the location of the camp, he heard a gun cock behind him. He sighed, somewhat pitiful for the Imperial fool that was fated with noticing him. He turned around and shot a death glare at the shivering Imperial soldier in front of him.

"S-Stay where you are, boy! D-Don't make me shoot you!"

This young man, who was only a few ages older than him, was clearly a fresh recruit.

He didn't like to kill people that he weren't his targets, but he truly hated obstacles like the young person before him. As he was about to reach for one of his blades, he saw the man's head become enveloped in a pair of arms. He heard a snap and rolled his eyes, what was with snapping necks this night?

One of the arms was a mechanical arm that he knew too well. He immediately knew who it was.

As the man's body fell down, he saw the white-haired woman who was always smoking a black blunt. She had an eyepatch and stared at him with a smirk. Yasune looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I didn't think you'd be spotted by.. someone so inexperienced." She said to him.

"Najenda.." Yasune uttered with a slight hint of annoyance.

* * *

When both of them returned to the camp, Yasune informed that the target was dead and his officer commended him. Everyone was indifferent about it, since they had a rather "negative" vibe with the lone wolf that they were stationed with. Everyone greeted the former General, who was named Najenda, to the camp as she was known to the Revolutionary army and respected by many.

Najenda had revealed that she came to the camp to personally have a conversation with Yasune himself about something important. The officer understood and allowed the former General to have a word with one of his most successful "soldiers".

Yasune examined his weapons as Najenda talked to him about recruitment for her organization that was affiliated with the Revolutionary army.

It was a conversation that was always discussed too much between them.

"Night Raid again?" Yasune groaned. "We've talked about this, Najenda."

"We have, but at a time like this, I could use as much help as I can get." Najenda responded. "I need as many talented killers I can name off. You're on the top list. You can be an essential piece to bringing this nation to a new calm."

The memories that shot through his mind that occurred several years ago haunted him and would most likely haunt him for the rest of his life. Unable to find the peace to continue "political" assassinations on high-value targets in the heart of the empire, Yasune never attempted for join an organized assassination group that was connected to the Revolutionary army.

"I always chuckle at the talk of a new peace. Your talk is blabber." Yasune commented. "There was never any peace in this world to begin with. With the "Ice-controlling" witch rampaging through the country, I doubt there will be any time soon."

"You do what it takes, don't you?" Najenda replied. "I've already gotten two new members a few days ago, but even I know that isn't enough. With you, I know I'll be ready for whatever the Prime Minister's pawn have for us."

"I've.. promised myself that I wouldn't go that path anymore." Yasune sheathed the blade that he was maintaining. "I can't sleep when I think of being together with others. I can't forget, I can't remember. I just.. want to forget to remember. But thanks to that damned box, I'm cursed."

"You aren't. I've already told you that." Najenda reminded. "What you have is a rarity. I didn't think that Teigu existed, but it did, and the fact that you're somewhat compatible is a miracle."

"Heh, you make it sound so easy to use it." Yasune said.

"So, you haven't been able to utilize it yet?" Najenda asked.

"No. I try to take the medicine the doctors give me to keep myself from going insane, but it isn't working as I thought it would." Yasune answered. "I'm rather fearful for my outcome in the end."

"Yasune," Najenda began. "I know that you might not like to do "that" anymore, but I need you to compromise. If things do "happen", I'm here to keep you in check. I've always have been."

"How can I trust you with the sake of changing the world?"

"You don't. You follow what your heart tells you to do." Najenda responded seriously.

That quote activated something in Yasune that made him feel strangely sad, but a little confident now.

_"I know that you are a man of pure heart, I know you will make the right choices." _The voice of the one man he respected and loved echoed through his mind.

Yasune scratched his head. "I hate you and your sliver tongue."

Najenda chuckled at his somewhat humorous remark. "I assume you've agreed?"

"As long as you keep to your promise, Najenda." Yasune responded, putting a ragged cloak around him. "On the agreement that we are equal, not subordinate and boss, I don't have much of a say in this anymore since I still owe you a debt for what you did for me."

"Can't really agree on those terms." Najenda replied, chuckling.

Yasune crossed his arms, indifferent. "Hmph, I care not. Shall we get going?"

"Yeah, the air mantra should be waiting."

"I do so hate those. I can't understand how some things can fly without wings."

As he stood up from his bunk, Yasune began to feel dizzy and his vision began to become doubles. Then, he became nauseous. His right nostril began to bleed and his eyes reddened and dilated. He stared at his hands and they wouldn't stop shaking. His heart began to beat at a rapid pace and he began to get headaches. Worst of all, he found it difficult to breathe as he found himself wheezing.

Intense pain, both burning and sharp, began to envelope his entire body.

He was suffering from one of his compatibility withdrawals. They always made him suffer more than he already was. It would always happen once per day, or even twice.

Yasune halted in his tent house and Najenda turned around, noticing the withdrawal. She didn't do anything about it because Yasune would always be the one to do so. Yasune reached for his small pouch and took out a bottle of medical pills that were given to him. He opened it and consumed two pills. He took a deep breath, wiped the dripping blood from his nose and sighed in relief.

"Still getting those painful episodes? Must be hard on you."

Yasune attempted to shrug it off, grunting hoarsely. "There isn't a day where I can be at ease without the suffering on my body."

"I know you'll get through it. You've been through worse."

"My body wishes to disagree.." He muttered.

* * *

"So, uh, this new "police group" we're in.. is made to pursue Night Raid, right?" The skinny young man asked, who was in torn rags and his wrists were entangled in unchained shackles. "I do hope we have more entertainment this time, Esdese-sama!"

"Your stupidity can indeed irritate me.." Esdese responded, who sat on a bench as she enjoyed her break after returning to the empire a week ago. "Has it ever come to your twisted mind to dress something new?"

"Nah!" The person responded with a carefree tone. "I like decrepit. I love to trick the enemy into thinking I'm a skinny, weak little fellow. I do so enjoy the human nature and testing it, just like how you like to torture people for your own sexual needs!"

_"The Prime Minister ordered this mysterious person to support me in my attack in the north several months ago. I wonder what he's trying to do. How intriguing. This.. child-thing does surprise me however. His interests in human nature are similar to my interests in slow torture. Hmph, I can say the same for his strength as well." _Esdese thought.

"Night Raid killed that "Strange" guy a few days ago, eh?" He brought up. "Honestly, I never liked him. If you didn't notice, Esdese-sama, he was twisted. Don't you think he had some pretty fucked up plans? He was probably gonna work on those Night Raid fellas if he ever got to. Also, that guy liked to work on humans and use them! I, for one, only like to work on them. Completely different!"

"Is that so?"

"Don't stare at me like that! I-I'm just saying that maybe some of the people you got are.. uh, crazy in the head?"

Esdese couldn't help but smirk. "Fufufu, you make it sound like you're the sane one in this."

"I sure am! At least I don't have an addiction to candy and have weird dreams about experimenting people, you know!" He exclaimed.

While the boy was irritating at some times, she did enjoy his company. His sadistic, but sick need to capture his foes and "examine" them was something she related to her torturing her enemies with pleasure.

"..." She became a little quiet, thinking about her lover.

The boy grunted in irritation. "Oh my dear lord, are you still thinking about him?"

"Yes." Esdese responded.

"Ugh, I'm sure we'll see him sooner or later. _You always find a way to do so.._" He assured, muttering some of the words. "I can't understand the way you handle romance. Time will tell, won't it?"

Esdese's blue eyes turned to the sickly skinny boy next to her and she was both disgusted and impacted by his attempt to have her spirits up more higher. Of course, he had to. For the sake of the new Teigu group that was just recently established.

"Lets go, Hidetsu. We're going to gather the Jaegars for the next mission." Esdese stood up and began to walk to her location.

"I'd like to join on the mission this time. The bodies at the first mission were either cut up to pieces or burned to a crisp so I couldn't examine them." Hidetsu said to her. "I'd love to bring a warm and unspoiled souvenir back to the capital."

* * *

**A/N:**

**I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of the sequel to "End the Turmoil" and I'll try get more chapters in when its possible. Please favorite, follow, anything that can be positively given to me from you would be great. Please be patient for the next chapter and I hope that you point anything out that is of the ordinary in this chapter. Thanks and until next chapter, you'll see from me again.**

**Oh, and please review my story. Every review is helpful to both me and the making of the story! Also, if you haven't read "End the Turmoil", it's best to read that so you understand the story a little bit more.**


	2. Kill the Defiance

**Read, review, and enjoy!**

* * *

_**"People let go to forget, some hold to not forget. Both paths lead to nothing but sorrow and pain."**_

_**-Anonymous**_

_**Chapter Two: Kill the Defiance**_

After almost a day of traveling to her hideout, Najenda had finally brought Yasune to the "home" of Night Raid. It was fairly large and it seemed new, but they had arrived on night and Yasune wouldn't be able to see his assassin "colleagues" until next morning. Yasune asked if it was one of many hideouts and Najenda confirmed that. She had explained the battle that happened on one of the hideouts that happened a few weeks ago.

Briefing him of the new Teigu group, named the "Jaegers", Yasune realized that his help was needed in order to "neutralize" this group. While he wasn't fond of head-to-head battle, all he need to know was that they were collaborating with the empire and that was more than enough reasons to kill them.

While Yasune did believe in Najenda's plans and but his faith in them. He hid his own intentions. His true goal, aside from making a new nation, was to find the greedy politicians who were involved in the plan to take out the current Koukenji head and grab the "mysterious Teigu". He knew that there had to be something or someone behind them.

Maybe it was selfish to use Najenda to get close to the politicians, but he didn't care. Perhaps his sins would catch up to him one day.

His only, current target was the Prime Minister. Who else could order such a thing?

The Prime Minister, the one who was draining the life out of the country, was truly a rare but difficult target for Yasune. He saw him as the epitome of the world's trash and wanted nothing more to see him dead, mangled, hanged, executed.

He didn't care much about "justice". To Yasune, the word "justice" was just nothing but a pretty word. He didn't want to see him on trial, he didn't want the Prime Minister to rot.

He wanted him **dead**. Nothing more, nothing less.

After he escaped from the clutches of death about several years ago, Yasune didn't hear from the temple of Koukenji. However, rumors spread of the students there being converted into the will of the Prime Minister, being forced to become bodyguards for greedy relatives of the Prime Minister or even assassins.

The rest that didn't succumb into the corruption of the Prime Minister were either put to torture or executed.

Yasune could never forgive that, he couldn't.

He wanted him dead so badly, it made him tingle like crazy on the inside.

Yasune, that entire midnight, stayed up. While Najenda insisted that he should rest and prepare to greet himself to his allies tomorrow, Yasune wanted to stay up for the night. Lying that he wanted to not sleep so he can be aware of any threats, he truly said those words only because he had nightmares when he slept.

It was the only thing he was truly feared. It was a weakness that scared him ever since he was in the midst of an incident that occurred when he had opened that box.

When he looked back, he wished he never opened it.

Yasune sat down on the nearby grassy fields near the hideout. He curled up into a ball and putted his arms around his legs against a tree as he felt the warm wind touch the skin of his face. He breathed out a relaxed sigh of exhaustion and began to get drowsy. His eyelids closed and he lost himself in the darkness of his tired mind.

Then he began to see a vision. One of his nightmares he feared.

* * *

_After being redirected to a major rebel camp in the northeast, Yasune was sent there to be reassigned to another camp that would have him used as a "soldier". Najenda came along with him all the way. As they both resided in a large tent that was recently put up, Yasune put the medium-sized box on the wooden table._

_Unsure of what it was, Yasune decided to ask._

_"Um, Najenda-san."_

_"What?" She responded.  
_

_"I was hoping if you had any idea of what this box was. You looked at it as if it was of high importance of you." Yasune noticed._

_"Well, I'm not sure whether it exists or not.. but all I can tell you is that box is very powerful, but risky." Najenda answered. "If you can't wield it, your mind could go mad."_

_"Is.. that so..?" Yasune was both astonished and scared of the box. That's why his master didn't want the Imperials to have so much. He stared at the box in curiosity and slight fear._

_"That's all I can really tell you, Yasune. Sorry. Maybe someday I'll tell you more about it." Najenda promised. "Don't do anything odd. I'm going to get some things for you to sign."_

_After Najenda left the tent through it's flap, Yasune was left to himself. With the box. He reached for his coat pocket and held out the cold-iron key that was given to him by his master. Was it truly that dangerous?_

_"Master.. entrusted the fate of the nation to me. I may not be powerful enough to do so.." Yasune muttered to himself. "But.. he gave me this box to wield it and use it for the good of this country.."_

_He took a deep breath and held the key by its end._

_"I can do this! I will succeed!" Yasune yelled as he dug the key into it's keyhole. He turned the key and heard a loud click. He flinched as he heard the click and began to sweat a little._

_Slowly opening the box, what he saw made him extremely confused._

_There was nothing. It made his heart sink in disappointment._

_But upon further inspection, it was more than nothing. **Absolutely nothing.**_

_The bottom of the box showed a dark, blank, pitch-black void. He couldn't see anything in there. Yasune believed that his hand would fall through the box if he put it in there._

_Then, a glowing and intimidating white symbol emitted from the center of the black void. Yasune became shocked and afraid._

_All the sudden, Yasune saw black, flat tentacles cover the entire area around him. He was being surrounded by absolute darkness. Being consumed by the unknown shadows around him, Yasune braced himself as he was being enveloped by the blackness._

* * *

The last vision that he remembered was him screaming in terror. It was such a painful vision that he hated.

He always hated how cowardly he acted back then. As he awoke from his shocking nightmare, his head jolted up as he yelped, ventilating heavily. His body was still curled. He stood up and wiped the sweat off his face.

He noticed the morning sun rising up and knew that it was early in the morning. Hearing the subtle leaves rustling as the wind blew through them made his mind at peace. He felt more calmer in the place he was now in. He breathed in a fresh wisp of air and breathed out. Yasune noticed his shaking and blurred vision and quickly took one of his pills to calm himself.

Yasune rubbed his eyes, quickly regaining his clear vision.

"You're awake." Najenda's voice emitted from behind him. He turned around and saw her with her arms crossed.

"That was obvious." Yasune replied.

"You should come in. Breakfast should be ready."

"Why of course, I'll be right there." He joked.

"Just come on in, I'm serious." Najenda said.

"You absolutely have **no **sense of humor at all." Yasune pointed out.

"But your "humor" is nothing but mere sarcasm." She countered.

"I still find it enjoyable." Yasune responded and sighed. "Fine then. Lets get this over with."

Yasune walked ahead of Najenda, wanting to get over with the meeting of his allies. Najenda stared at him curiously, wonder whether he was able to get the handle of his "abilities" ever since they departed a few years ago. However, he appeared rather indifferent about it. Uncaring.

She found it a little pitiful.

* * *

"Uh, so who's he?" The green haired person, named Rabac pointed at Yasune. He was picking his food and didn't have an appetite for rice and meat in the morning. There were about four people at the table. Hair colors of different types. Yellow, pink, green, brown.

It was so colorful, it disgusted him.

"He must be the new person that boss talked about." The boy, named Tatsumi, answered Rabac's question. "Didn't you hear?"

Yasune, who was still staring at his food, didn't pay attention. He wasn't very enthusiastic about meeting new people. It was a waste of time, complete bullshit to know them at all. However, deep down in his heart, he was truly lonely. Maybe it was depressing for him to come back to safety to see no one waiting for him, but at least no one was suffering because of him.

Why should he make relationships? For team cohesion? He never heard of assassins actually working together. He believed that individual assassins were the most strongest and best assassins there are. Not relying on anyone or worrying made his work much more easier to do.

It was better to not have friends at all than have friends in a world where death is common.

"This is Yasune," Najenda introduced himself. "I managed to snatch him from the western camps. I'm not allowed to take too much, but he was an exception. He may not look much, but he's talented."

"I wasn't told that." Yasune said.

"I don't ever tell you much. You know that." She responded.

"Seems like you're missing a few associates." Yasune noticed that several chairs were empty, indicating that other assassins were missing.

"Akame and Suu are probably out already getting food for lunch." Leone, the yellow-haired woman, answered. "Akame's really hasty on that stuff."

"Hmph, Chelsea's probably in the hot springs too.." The pink-haired girl said. Her name was Mein.

One of those names got Yasune's attention. He couldn't remember clearly due to the side effects of his symptoms, but he was sure he had heard about one of those names before.

It just wasn't very clear. He rubbed his head to help himself remember, but nothing came to. His mind was still muddled and confused.

"Trying to get hold of something?" Najenda asked.

"Yes, I think I've met one of those people mentioned." He replied.

"You've probably heard of us from the wanted papers." Mein explained.

"..." Yasune wasn't sure. Maybe the pink-haired girl was right, but it had to be more than that. Perhaps he would look more into it later, but now, he had to concentrate on the current situation he was in.

"Maybe getting to know your allies can wait, I just remembered that a job just came up." Najenda remembered.

"You're sending me in?" Yasune pointed at himself, putting aside his bowl.

"Yeah, and Tatsumi will come with you too."

"Roger that, boss!" Tatsumi agreed to come along as support for Yasune, grabbing his jacket and Incursio's key.

"I assure you that I can do this by myself." Yasune replied.

"I admire your abilities, but your inability to work with others is bad for communicating and working together. You need to polish on that and doing this mission with Tatsumi should give you a start." Najenda responded, declining Yasune's request to go alone.

Yasune got up from his chair, stretching. "Fine, I don't care. Just give me the coordinates." He held his hand out.

Najenda gave him a slip of paper. "Here. Before you came here, there's been someone or **something **burning all of the rebel outposts near here, even soldiers have been burned to ashes. I've been informed that the culprit should be coming to the next one written in that paper. Find him and take him out."

"An arsonist, possibly?" Yasune hypothesized.

"More than that. Probably a danger beast. The amount of fire I've told was inhumane. No human could set things on fire so quickly."

"Well, it shouldn't be a problem. We'll get the job done, boss!" Tatsumi assured.

"You should get moving. Good luck you two, be careful out there."

* * *

Near the outskirts of the empire, both the general, Esdese and her ally, Hidetsu, a mysterious "human" that was given to Esdese from the Prime Minister to support her in the revolution against the rebels. Esdese saw to it that he took off to one of the nearby outposts that was in control of the Revolutionary army. Hidetsu had been destroying outposts for two weeks and was getting slightly bored, but as long as he didn't come back "empty handed", it was fine with him.

"I suppose you're heading towards the next one?" The female general asked.

"Hey, the Prime Minister wants me to do this." Hidetsu explained. "What the fuck should I do? It'll be a breeze. Just gonna light some stupid-ass rebels here and there, and I'll be back, as fine as usual."

"Fufu, you sound excited."

"As long as there's something there I can salvage, I'm fine going." Hidetsu said, referring to one of his "conditions". "I usually take someone back with me. Human anatomy and psychology can be so easy and fun to learn when you have something to "tinker" on."

"Your babble about working on humans bores me." Esdese pointed out.

"Hey, at least I don't hassle you about how you torture people." Hidetsu countered. "I'm more merciful, you know! Well, kind of."

"You shouldn't be. Don't make yourself more weaker by being soft. I take resentment very highly in those kind of people."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're gonna "escort me to torture room" and stuff." Hidetsu then took off quickly. "Gotta go, bye-bye~!"

As she saw him charge off into the distance, she had an expression of suspicion. The boy wasn't afraid of her at all. There were times where should "threaten" him, but he shrugged it off as an insult. There was no sense of fear at all from her "ally". He feared nothing and was extremely carefree. He could have about ten danger beasts around him, but he would most likely just laugh it off.

There was something wrong with him. It made Esdese lose her trust for him by the second.

* * *

Taking half an hour, Yasune and Tatsumi both traveled to the outpost by the side of a mountain. They weren't very close to it yet, but they were both getting there. Since it was very silent, Tatsumi decided to ask Yasune a question. He noticed how Yasune was very quiet and disliked any company that came along with him, but he had to find a way to get along with his new teammate.

"Your name was Yasune, right?"

"What is it?" He sighed.

"So, you said you knew one of us, right? Who is it?"

"If you're wondering, it surely isn't you." Yasune responded harshfully. "What are you going at?"

"N-Nothing! I was just asking." Tatsumi chuckled, a little nervous. He decided to ask something else. "Are you from the west?"

"No, I'm not. I was stationed there, however." Yasune answered. "I was born in the empire; that's all you need to know for now. You shouldn't ask so many questions, it makes you irritating."

"Oh.. okay then." Tatsumi muttered, slightly disappointed that he couldn't get to him at all.

As they traveled further, they made their way down to the grassy fields and into the forests. As her followed the coordinates, Yasune knew that they were getting near to their destination. Then, they noticed there was charred pieces of wood on the ground as they got closer.

"Something isn't right.." Yasune muttered to himself. "Tatsumi, hurry!"

He ran ahead with lightning speed, catching Tatsumi off guard. Tatsumi became surprised and attempted to follow him, but he was surprisingly more agile than him. He couldn't name many people who were as fast as that. Maybe Akame or Leone could match it, but even he wasn't sure.

When Tatsumi caught up to him on top of a hill, he was tired from running. He was surprised how far he had ran that he was out of breath. As he regained his stamina, he saw Yasune, still as a twig. Yasune was surprised from the scene in front of him. He pointed at what he was staring at.

Tatsumi was shocked.

The medium-sized outpost in the distance was charred to a crisp. Parts of it were still lit up with fire. However, that was only the part of it.

Both of them could barely see a skinny, sickly figure in the distance. It wore ragged clothing and walked around the burned place as if nothing had happened.

Then, they saw one of the soldiers in one of the hands of the figure, its right hand surrounded the man's neck with ease.

"We have to go down there! That guy must be it!" Tatsumi ran down ahead of Yasune.

Yasune yelled at him to halt, but it didn't work. "You stupid fool, don't run into a situation you don't know of!"

* * *

"Ugh.. please.. no." The burned man pleaded at the shadowy figure above him to spare him.

"All of these subjects are brittle and weak." Hidetsu examined. "There's no reason for you to exist anymore. Be at peace, my pathetic little friend!"

With that, Hidetsu dropped him. He then stomped on his face multiple times and blood splattered all over his clothes. He hated to have no subjects to bring back at all, but everyone that he had gone against were either too young or just physically too weak to be of any use to him.

As he was about to leave, he heard something run from behind him. He turned around and saw a brown haired boy. The boy had an expression of disgust and hate at him. Hidetsu simply smiled and waved at him.

"Why, hello there!" Hidetsu greeted. "Beautiful day today, isn't it? The birds are chirping, the sky is blue, and the season is just perfect for a green day~! If it makes you feel better, I burned everyone. It's quick and painless!"

"**Shut up!**"

"That wasn't nice at all." Hidetsu pointed out, frowning, feigning a cry. "You're gonna make me cry, you know~!"

"Guh.." Tatsumi was tense, very tense. If this person could burn an entire outpost, he wasn't to be taken lightly, even if he acted like an idiot. "**Incursio!**"

Tatsumi brought the blade down to the ground, penetrating it. A giant statue of armor surrounded the country boy and covered him. Hidetsu stopped his fake crying and his dark, orange-pupiled eyes glowed at the hindrance before him. He was going to fight with a Teigu user. He had heard about the users on the other side, but didn't expect this.

He was more angered than intimidated.

"All right, come at me!" Tatsumi taunted.

"..." Hidetsu put a finger on his chin. "Nah."

"**Eh?!**" Tatsumi was confused and shocked.

"I'm a little tired. I just wanna go home and you're not worth my time." Hidetsu put his arms behind his head. "If you don't want anything, I'm.. um, gonna go. Bye."

As he saw the criminal wave at him then walk away, Tatsumi was getting irritated. Tatsumi charged at him as he was looking away, but the culprit turned around and slapped Tatsumi with a backhand. Tatsumi flew to the side and fell on the ground with a loud thump. He was shocked at how the sickly figure knew he was coming at him.

His attack was timed perfectly.

Tatsumi groaned as he got back up to his feet. The figure stared at him with a piercing gaze and hint of intense anger.

"See, this is something I don't understand about you shitty-ass rebels." Hidetsu rubbed the back of his neck. "I give you a chance to freely go away, but you don't. **I don't fucking get it! I don't get it at all! You fucking piss me off! You piss me off to hell! Fuck you and fuck your army!**"

**BOOM!**

Tatsumi got out of the way as the person jumped into the air and came down with the heel of his right feet. He quickly dashed to the side as the figure flew into the ground as quick as bullet. Smoke emitted from the location the charge. It seemed that his opponent came at him with all of his might. Tatsumi doubted that Incursio's armor would be able to handle the power of that kick.

As the smoke subsided, he saw the opponent stare at him with bulging eyes. He saw him charge again.

Suddenly, a kick pushed back the enemy from Tatsumi. Hidetsu put his two arms together to block the attack with his forearms. The attack made his feet skid across the rough dirt ground. Tatsumi looked to his left and Yasune appeared from the side. He wasn't sure why it took so long for him to get to the site of the battle, but Tatsumi was just grateful he came.

"Thanks, you saved me there." Tatsumi thanked.

"Don't run ahead of me like that anymore, you idiot." Yasune said.

"O-Oh.. sorry."

"More of these fuckers..? **Really..?!**" Hidetsu muttered, putting his one of his hands over his right eye. "Hey, asshole! That was pretty good! I didn't see you come at me for a second."

"Then that just means your awareness is below par than I thought." Yasune responded. He wasn't sure if Tatsumi had noticed, but the figure before them looked somewhat similar to him. His face was just more sickly and skinny and his hair was grayish and messy. "I'm not as weak as I look, you know. If you want to fight, how about fighting someone who's just as "big" as you?"

Hidetsu put one of his hands on his forehead, laughing. "I don't give a shit. Both of you can come at me, and the outcome'll be the same!"

"You..!" Tatsumi growled. Yasune put his arm in front of him, halting him. "Yasune, what're you doing?"

"I've always taken the pleasure in showing how weak these dogs truly are." He admitted. "Since this fool thinks so highly of himself, I'll break that pathetic arrogance of his. Besides, this world has no use for animals that don't know how to reason. Allow me to do this by myself, if you would."

"If.. that's what you want." Tatsumi was hesitant, but he had difficulty fighting the thing in front of him. What chance would he have? However, he wanted to see how Yasune fought. If he had a Teigu, it would be a sight to see.

"Hah! You're gonna regret this, dumbass!" Hidetsu insulted. "I've defied death more than you think!"

"That's where you're mistaken," Yasune began, drawing both of his broad, short blades. "You won't defy **me**."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Thank you for reading the second chapter of "Save the Nation". I apologized for the slow making of the chapters, but I have several things that have made me very busy, thus I'm unable to create chapters quickly.**

**Please be on standby for any new chapters that will come in the meantime. Do review, favorite, or anything that benefits me and my story. Anything helps.**

**I'll see you all later.**


	3. Kill the Assistance

**_"War does not determine who is right - only who is left."_**

**_-Bertrand Russell_**

* * *

**_Chapter Three: Kill the Assistance_**

It had been a while ever since Hidetsu had departed from his commander, Esdese. After all the Jaegars had returned from their missions, Hidetsu was the only one who hadn't returned yet. She was beginning to be disappointed and irritated at Hidetsu. Either he was late off schedule, or he had dozed off to one of his "examinations".

She didn't feel any worry about him. Partly because she knew his strength and that she had a sense of distrust for him at the same time.

While a majority of her soul hated the "follower" she was given by the Prime Minister, a small part of her felt that he still had some use to her before his usefulness would run out. Also, she had personal company as well.

Until the day his usefulness would run it's course, there was no need to end his empty, pathetic life.

But then, even a general would make exceptions, if such early ill "occurrences" happened because of him. She had no use for stupid fools who would occasionally make mistakes that would agitate her to the fullest.

However, that day had not come yet.

Until then, she waited for him in quiet, but deadly patience.

Hidetsu, on the other hand, was still in battle with two members of Night Raid. Having completed his mission of destroying the nearby rebel outpost, he was confronted by the most inexperienced member of the group, Tatsumi, a boy from the countryside who was recruited after his friends were tortured to death by corrupted and evil sadists from the empire.

Upon confronting him, Tatsumi realized quickly that this was no regular human being. The enemy before him was surely using a Teigu to further boost his combative capabilities. Being able to attack with such force was impossible without the use of a Teigu. Underestimating his scrawny enemy, he knew that the criminal was stronger than him.

However, as Hidetsu began to charge at Tatsumi, Yasune catches up with his associate and prevents his attack. Yasune's attack wasn't just fast, it just happened in a blink of light. Tatsumi didn't notice his attack come from behind him. He should have, but he didn't. Nor did he hear his approaching footsteps.

Quick as a shadow, and deadly as a snake.

Having appeared from the smoke, Hidetsu barely blocked his kick. The fact that it shot him back regardless that he had absorbed it quite a shocker. Not only was it fast, it was somewhat heavy. The faster the kick, the more force it had. However, it didn't seem to hurt the imperial assassin much. Hidetsu shrugged off his attack with ease. While it was fast and heavy, Hidetsu was lucky that his "armor" had protected him.

With venomous eyes, Yasune was prepared for a battle that intrigued him.

However, Hidetsu looked excited and ecstatic. Despite having two decent assassins against him, he had never fought against such a skilled opponent. Before, he had little to no challenge and found it boring to kill rebel soldiers over and over again.

But the enemy in front of him made him happier than ever. The humans in front of him were worthy of being called excellent "souvenirs".

The fires were beginning to die down, but a wildfire of steel and blood would soon come after.

* * *

"I'm so goddamn tired..!" Hidetsu moaned. "Can I just leave?"

"Go ahead, but you'll die tired." Yasune threatened. "You won't get far."

"Ah, all right.. in that case," Hidetsu walked slightly closer to him, cracking his fingers. **"..you first, friend~!"**

The vermin was beginning to truly irritate Yasune. It was as if he had a living mouth and couldn't shut it at all. Yasune ran at him with lightning speed and came down with his left broad sword. Hidetsu brought up his forearms towards the sword crashing down on him, but Yasune knew that a blade at such force would slice it.

**CLANG!**

_"What just happened?" _Tatsumi thought, noticing the two figures halt for a moment.

"What is this..?" Yasune muttered.

He had come to realize that his blade was stopped. By a naked forearm. It appeared as flesh, but had the hard texture of the strongest metal imaginable.

"What? Your blade only **looks **sharp." Hidetsu mocked, a smug grin on his face.

Yasune brought his free right blade over and attempted to quickly plunge it into the location of his liver. The sword penetrated his light, ragged clothing, but once again, he heard a distinctive sound.

**CLANG!**

However, this time, it had a noticeable squelching noise at the end. It was the sound of flesh being penetrated, but it was light. Hidetsu released his guarding position and shot a left palm strike at Yasune's abdomen, pushing him back and forcing him to grunt in blunt pain. He fell on his left knee and Tatsumi had a shocked expression on his face.

He was fool, how could he let him fight alone! Tatsumi began to run up to him.

"Yasune-"

**"Stay back, Tatsumi!" **He screamed, obviously angry. Tatsumi halted right away.

The power behind that attack was heavy, even with just bare hands. He had lost all of the air inside of him and had to inhale for more. He was frustrated and shocked at the same time. How could such vulnerable skin be so tough? Was it the work of a Teigu?

"Telling by your expression, you probably wanna know why your blades didn't work.." Hidetsu waved a finger at him in a declining motion. "I could tell you, but you'd have to say the magic word~! It's a secret."

_"Irritating buffoon!"_ Yasune cursed under his mind. _"Some kind of invisible armor surrounds him. It makes him invulnerable to sharp attacks.. but is the armor weak in some parts?"_

Hidetsu noticed something wet under his ragged robes. He put his hand under it and noticed a small trickle of a thick, dark-red substance on his fingers. The force on his stabbing attacks were truly heavy indeed, but Hidetsu merely sighed, rolling his eyes and wiped the blood on his chest.

"I'm surprised that you broke through." Hidetsu admitted. "Even if it's just a tiny cut. Can I know your name?"

"You don't deserve to." Yasune pointed his blades at him again.

"You awfully look like that person on the wanted boards."

"What?" Yasune was confused.

"You know! That traitor that killed some head Koukenji master a few years ago. Pretty damn nasty that."

_"What? Is this guy really him?" _Tatsumi thought, knowing the little information that was given on that incident.

Yasune's eyes went wide with surprise. He didn't know that he was being personally traced as well by the empire. Suddenly, what surprise he had became an expression of blankness and disgust. Yasune wanted no one to talk about the "incident" that involved him.

Especially in front of him.

"What if I am the killer?" Yasune questioned.

"Well, it's extra credit for me if I bring you back to the Prime Minister. I don't really need all of you.. just your head, of course." Hidestsu said with a coy smile.

"What does it matter? If I did kill him, I don't really care." Yasune responded. "That isn't going to help you at all."

"No, no! Actually, it does kind of help!" Hidetsu chuckled and in a moment, charged at Yasune with full force.

Hidetsu grabbed his blades with his bare hands, not worried about the wounds that would never be inflicted on his hands. Yasune was begin pushed back with every second and it made things tenser by the second. Then, Hidetsu brought his head closer to his and uttered several words.

"If I get you, then the Prime Minister is happy and he won't really cry about me being so disobedient!"Hidetsu answered as his grip battling against the strength of his enemy. "Fat men can be very big babies when you looked at them correctly, aren't I right?"

"You.. seem to hate.. him." Yasune said between opposition with the enemy in front of him.

"Hate him? Hardly!" Hidetsu replied. "With him on top, I can do whatever I want with you good-for-nothing humans. He can be so nice sometimes~!"

"Your habits have clouded your reasoning." Yasune pointed out.

"Ha! Maybe, but at least I don't have to obey some white-haired bitch with an eye-patch every time, you know!" Hidetsu countered, mentioning Najenda.

"You talk too much." Yasune said. "You die now."

"You first, friend! I insist!" Hidetsu responded cheerfully.

Yasune pushed him back and crouched down to swing his left blade at his shin. Hidetsu jumped up and came down with his right heel above Yasune, but he was quick enough to jump back and dodge his heel from falling down on his head. Yasune then came him again, running around him in attempt to confuse him. Hidetsu was surprised when he couldn't keep his eye on him easily. He could only see him in flashes and blurry figures.

"This isn't fair, you kn-"

Yasune immediately stopped below the ragged enemy and jumped up with all of his force with his right knee. Yasune's knee met with Hidetsu's jaw, causing his head to fly back until Yasune dropped back down with a kick, leaving Hidetsu face-down on the ground.

While it seemed effective in the form of blunt attacks, Yasune's leg felt bruised and in pain. It didn't seem to matter at all. Blunt or sharp, it was like hitting a boulder with all of his might.

Tatsumi cheered as he saw the enemy go down. "That was great! You're pretty strong, Yasune!"

Shortly hopping away from the downed enemy, Yasune's body began to suffer from intense pain and headaches. Hidetsu wasn't moving, but now wasn't the time to be debilitated by one of his major sickness episodes.

This was a** very **bad time for one of his "withdrawals".

His nose began to bleed and his eyesight was blurry. Yasune couldn't see well and pain jolted in his chest whenever he tried to breathe. He dropped his blades and reached for his small pouch, taking out a bottle of pills and consuming two of them. He began to calm down and exhaled in relief, wiping the blood off his nose. He retrieved his blades from the ground and stared at the motionless body.

_"This isn't it at all. Can't be."_

"Hup!" Suddenly, Yasune saw Hidetsu bring one leg all the way up and jumped back up without a problem. He was unscathed and unharmed. He still rubbed his head in minor pain and groaned.

"Kicks hurt, you know!" Hidetsu yelled. "Enough of this. If you want to kill me, then kill me."

Yasune pointed his right broad blade at him and arched the left blade behind his back to prepare the full swing to a follow-up with another attack. Yasune then charged at him with a swift dash. Clashing of both sides roared through their attacks as they struggled to obtain one fatal attack on each other, but both of them always blocked every possible attack thrown at them.

Until Yasune managed to slash the side of his abdomen after a feint. It made a distinctive clanging sound, but there was surely a decent amount of blood gushing out from it. Hidetsu grunted in annoyance, jumping up and drop-kicking him back, causing Yasune to fall to the ground. He back-flipped and landed perfectly on his feet.

"Hmph." Hidetsu touched the fresh wound that was just inflicted on him. Seeing his own blood was very unique, but it angered him to a point he had never gotten to.

"So you've noticed that you've been injured. Every armor has flaws, but it's sad you failed to notice your's." Yasune told him, rising from the ground as he pointed one of his blades at him for a decisive attack. "You put too much trust in your Teigu, you novice. You shouldn't rely on them so recklessly. I assumed that you weren't stupid enough to underestimate your weapon, but you're far below than me than I predicted."

"Hah! Teigu?!" Hidetsu laughed. "**Fuck** the forty-eight Teigu, **fuck** that goddamn piece-of-shit emperor who thought it was a "genius" idea to make such inhumane weapons for you stupid-ass humans to "play" with and **fuck** you and every high-and-mighty rebel monkey that uses one! You think **this **is a Teigu!? I'm not even using mine at the moment!"

_"What?" _Yasune was confused at his remark about not using his Teigu. _"I had assumed his "armor" was his Teigu. Did I miscalculate?"__  
_

_"He's gotta be lying! That can't be! If he's this strong without his Teigu, then Yasune'll..!" _Tatsumi had began to think of the worst fate for both of them.

"This is so damn stupid..!" Hidetsu commented with his hand against his face in irritation. "I thought this would be fun and all, but you've pushed me to the point.."

Yasune shot a confused point at him.

**"..I'm not going to take your head anymore.. I'll burn every particle of you." **Hidetsu broke away both of his fingers to reveal the vein-bulging eye that stared at Yasune's very soul. Yasune felt as if the stare could break through flesh and bone.

Suddenly, a giant, dark aura began to emit near the twisted human. It felt disgusting to Yasune. Full of hate and disgust for every living thing that existed.

It was as if he was staring at the epitome of the end of the world.

Hidetsu took his hand away from his face, facing it up towards the grayish sky above. He spread his fingers in a palm-like position and it appeared that he was prepared to unleash his Teigu ability.

Yasune wouldn't let him. He wouldn't risk it, no matter what. All he wanted was to get rid of the bug in front of him and report back to Najenda so that she could possibly have more trust in him than she had at the moment.

_"I won't let this animal use it! I will end him before he uses his Teigu!" _Yasune clashed his blades together. _"I am fast enough to- no, I am more than enough!"_

As he prowled and prepared to dash at Hidetsu before anything horrific happened to both him and Tatsumi, a loud shot rang through the skies from the hills. Suddenly-

**BOOM!**

**SPLAK!**

Yasune and Tatsumi dropped to the ground as they saw blood spatter out from the right side of Hidetsu's head the moment the shot had rang out. He flinched back and had a shocked expression on his face. He touched the bullet wound that had pierced into and out of his head cleanly. He saw his hand painted in red and laughed frantically for a moment. His eyes then rolled up and fell over, dead.

"This shot..!" Tatsumi released Incursio's armor and turned his vision to the hill with a grin as he rose from the ground. "I know who could do this. It's Mein!"

"Reinforcements, eh?" Yasune assumed, getting up to his feet and patting the dirt off his clothes. "We didn't really need help."

Yasune sheathed his dented blades and sighed as he touched his left wrist, wincing in pain as he felt a jolt of pain every time he turned his wrist.

"Oh come on, don't you think you should thank her?" Tatsumi said to Yasune.

Yasune grasped his chest. He was inflicted with serious injury. His nose was bleeding from the kick that connected to him earlier, he must have had a bruised rib or two as it was slightly hard and hurtful to breathe and his left wrist was most likely broken as he had to block against several heavy blunt attacks from his opponent. His left wrist was pulsating with pain, unable to move it with ease.

Still, he was in worse situations so the pain didn't hinder him. Much.

"..All she did was reveal our damn position. Now lets hurry..!" Yasune wheezed harshly. "I won't be surprised if hundreds of nearby Imperial soldiers come marching to the source of the gunshot."

Tatsumi sighed. "Okay, okay..!"

* * *

"Hey, Mine! Did boss tell you to come?" Tatsumi asked.

"Yeah." Mine replied, a little annoyed. "Hmph, if I didn't come, both of you would've been in trouble!" Mein stood atop of the long side of the cliff and carried her Teigu, "Pumpkin" in her hand, a rifle Teigu.

"I know, I know! Thanks." Tatsumi shot an innocent grin at her, making her blush and look away.

Yasune just simple turned his eyes back and forth at Tatsumi and Mein before forgetting about making his assumptions about the two. He approached Mein and rubbed the back of his head.

"While I do appreciate the support, we would've been fine without your help." Yasune said to her, which she took as an insult. His hand was still around his chest.

"H-Hey!"

"**Eh?!** What the hell is that supposed to mean, you asshole!?" Mein yelled back at his ungrateful remark.

"Because of you, not only did you put yourself in danger, but you've also attracted every Imperial soldier nearby." Yasune criticized her in his quiet yet inexpressive voice, despite her well-placed shot on the intruder's head.

"Hey, I saved you and all you give me is an attitude?!" Mein countered. "Why don't you show me some respect?!"

"The only thing has been "shown" to me is that Najenda obviously can't trust my strength!" Yasune responded, raising his voice. "The fact that you came here by Najenda's orders shows that she has no faith in me at all. In addition.. I don't need to be saved from some pompous, pink-haired girl!"

By this time, Mein was gritting her teeth at the overly arrogant assassin in front of her and had thoughts about pointing "Pumpkin" at him. "You piece of.." She growled.

"Hey, hey! We're too open! Let's just go back all right! We can talk about this later!" Tatsumi jumped between the two, preventing a "distasteful" outcome between Mein and Yasune.

"No, we're already done." Yasune walked ahead, shaking head all the way. "Come on, you two!"

"Guh! What an arrogant bastard. He's really getting on my nerves.." Mein cursed. "New teammate, my ass.."

Tatsumi couldn't help himself but frown at Yasune. There must have been a reason behind his arrogance, his inability to trust others. And besides, he didn't have the time to really hold a grudge against one of his teammates during the time of war. He needed to concentrate on becoming a stronger assassin and learning to cooperate more effectively with his subordinates.

Tatsumi wouldn't know when, but one day, he knew he would get Yasune's respect one day. He was determined to show him that he was more than some "spectator" or "burden".

Yet a questions till wandered around Tatsumi's mind:

Was he truly the killer behind the Koukenji incident several years ago? Was he the one that turned their famed arts into a shadow of it's former self?

But, Tatsumi wanted to truly know what was he doing there in the first place.

Perhaps he would ask him later. And possibly obtain nothing about him.

* * *

After the members of Night Raid left the site of the charred outpost wreckage, there was almost nothing left to salvage there. All there were just charred bodies and burnt down towers and camps of the Revolutionary army. Silence overtook the site and there was no sound.

However, there was one figure there that was "dead".

Hidetsu, the person that Yasune had fought earlier, wasn't moving a muscle. He stood motionless as he was shot cleanly in the head.

Suddenly, his body jolted up. His eyes bulged open and he looked around frantically, only to realize that he had died. He rolled his eyes and groaned, crossing his arms while he was still on the ground.

He had died. **Again.**

"Gyah..! **Owwwwww!**" Hidetsu whined as he rose his shaky upper body up, touching the bloody side of his head and stared at the red liquid. "**Ugh! **I. Hate. **Guns!"** He screamed.

Hidetsu stood up and shook his head around, checking for any metal fragments that were tangled in his brain. There was nothing. He then knew it was a Teigu. He knew most gun-based Teigus received "ammunition" from the "spiritual energy" from it's user. Seeing how he had a clear hole on the side of his head, he knew it was a Teigu. In addition, his "armor" made him invulnerable to gunfire. Only shots from a Teigu could penetrate through his tough skin.

Hidetsu knew that his open wound would regrow his flesh in several hours so he knew that it wouldn't be difficult to cover it up from Esdese, who was most likely waiting to torture him for his truancy.

But with the "entertainment" that he was involved in earlier with Night Raid, the torture was more than worth the consequences.

Picking at his open wound as he walked back to the capital, he grew a dark, excited grin as he remembered the name of his opponent.

Yasune. The name didn't faze him, but his face surely did. He looked awfully familiar to someone he failed to kill. A halt in his life that he regretted a long time ago. As his flesh began to grow back, he put his hands behind his back and patiently marched back to the capital to turn in his mission to Esdese, who was surely angered by his overdue time.

He was hoping he would see the assassin again. With him around, Hidetsu was sure that the war would become more amusing and entertaining than ever. This would be a conflict he couldn't sit out on.

But at the moment, aside from the group that excited him which was Night Raid, he uttered out what his mind was on:

"Fuck, I forgot to bring a "souvenir" back with me."

* * *

**A/N:  
**

**Thank you for patiently waiting for the third chapter of "Save the Nation" by me. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and feel free to favorite or follow the story above.**

**Please review about anything on your minds. Anything said on the reviews will help significantly.**

**Thank you, again.**

**Until next time, everyone.**


	4. Kill the Reunion

**"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light." **

**_-Helen Keller_**

* * *

**Chapter Four: Kill the Reunion**

After both of them were bandaged by Susanoo, one of the members of Night Raid, Tatsumi and Yasune were put on reserve. For two days, they wouldn't be able to be assigned to a mission due to the extent of their injuries. It wasn't severe, but their wounds would most likely hinder them on their missions. By sunset, they returned to the hideout and were left alone to brief their mission to Najenda.

For Najenda, the news was more shocking than she assumed. However, it didn't surprise her that the empire would hire "freaks" to fight for them. It was an occasion to find modified humans on the enemy side. When she thought more about it, she felt like about half of the empire's strength came from strengthened experimental humans.

That still wouldn't stop them or their resolve.

Yasune explained to her that the burning of the outposts were not of a danger beast, but a human. An arsonist that apparently had "special" abilities, but was eventually killed by Mein who had been ordered by Najenda to support Tatsumi and Yasune, in case if the worst case scenario were to happen. While Tatsumi was grateful for the help, Yasune couldn't help himself to feel that Najenda thought he wasn't strong enough.

But at the moment, there wasn't any time for "personal outbursts". It was best if he just gave her what she wanted.

"We managed to find that the thing destroying the outposts were just some good-for-nothing Imperial." Yasune briefed. "That girl named Mein managed to take him down."

"Is that so?" Najenda put her hand under her chin. "Anything else?"

"..." Yasune was silent, before he made a prediction of the causes. "There's something going on. It feels as if the empire is making experiments."

"Eh? What do you mean, Yasune?" Tatsumi asked.

Najenda allowed Yasune to go on with his prediction. "Explain."

"The enemy we encountered had some type of armor against the layer of his skin." Yasune said. "It acted as a light, but tough shell. My blades were dented from the attacks I attempted to deal to him." Yasune drew one of his broad blades and showed the dents across the blade.

"Your point is?"

"The young man's ability was similar to Danger Beasts called Coajăo Giant Snakes that I've seen in the west." Yasune responded. "The idea of being able to use a Danger Beast's ability is nearly similar to that **woman's **ability. I may be wrong, but no regular human being could have armored skin with modifications."

"Maybe he was using a Teigu." Tatsumi said.

"No, he wasn't." Yasune countered. "I could feel an aura from him as he had brought his hand up. It was disgusting and burned me on the inside. Maybe **that **was his Teigu."

"Hm, we'll just have to wait and see. This "prediction" of yours doesn't have much to back up so all we'll have do is wait and see." Najenda concluded.

"Got it, boss!" Tatsumi agreed. "Yasune!"

He sighed. "What?"

"I'll make sure to help you out next time! I'm not sitting out."

"I made you sit out so you wouldn't die." Yasune revealed.

"Huh?"

"I don't like you, and I don't have to." Yasune insulted. "But you're still my ally. Your life was my responsibility back there."

Tatsumi wasn't sure if he should of been happy or offended by what he had just said. Yasune was compassionate and insulting at the same time. Sure, perhaps he was rude, but he was very loyal. Yasune was more than just a rude, arrogant person.

He didn't know why, but Tatsumi was beginning to like him more.

"Thanks, Yasune." Tatsumi smiled, holding his hand out. Yasune looked at his hand, shaking it. He wasn't exactly a big fan of shaking hands, but if it made the brown-haired person in front of him happy, why not?

"Uh-huh." Yasune replied.

Yasune and Najenda watched as Tatsumi left the conference room. With only both of them left in the room, Najenda wasn't finished talking with Yasune. While the mission was a success, there were still some "complications" with Yasune himself.

"You should be careful with what you say to others." Najenda advised.

"I say what I wish." Yasune replied, turning to her. "If you knew I didn't specialize in working with others, why did you ask me to come in the first place?"

"Because I know you can." Najenda said. "Mein told me what had happened."

"Tch, the pink-haired girl?" Yasune crossed his arms. "Scolding me now?"

"You shouldn't cause any friction with your teammates." Najenda warned. "It won't be good for you or team cohesion. Be patient, especially with Mein."

"Heh," Yasune chuckled. "I see that you're being very patient with me."

"I have to." Najenda responded. "I need all of the help I can get, and you're an asset."

"I don't see why I have to work with them, that's all." Yasune sighed.

"It's for your own good. I don't need you to run into your death so recklessly..!" Najenda slightly raised her voice. "Don't try to do everything yourself. You're going to get yourself killed one day."

"I "appreciate" your concern, but your "concern" isn't going to keep me safe." Yasune responded. "I don't want to know more about your associates, I don't even want to know more about you."

"Then what drove you to work for me in the first place?" Najenda asked curiously.

"I believe in intuition." Yasune said, putting his hands in his pockets. "I don't have to like people, but I still have to respect life. I don't need a reason to protect your associates. It's more or less a case of them simply being my allies, which is why I am willing to put my life on the line for them. I always think that risking your life is a good thing. It turns you into a better person."

Najenda was quite surprised with his words. While he was the most anti-social human she had ever met in her life, he was by far the most loyal and wisest young boy she had ever met. It made her smile and chuckle by just listening to him.

"You have a way with words yourself." Najenda complimented him. "I suppose words are just as strong as your skill isn't it?"

"..."

The air was silent and cold. Yasune stared at her with a deadpanned expression, blinking his eyes.

"How was that?"

"..." Yasune was quiet before he uttered one word. "No."

Yasune left the room and went back to his bedroom. He was tired from all of the conflict that had occurred several hours ago. He was injured and in no condition to be assigned to another mission. He assumed it would be best to rest until his services were needed.

He was called an assassin, but he felt more of a mercenary by how he was being used.

As he put his ruined jacket on his chair, he laid on his bed. He took a pill before he slept to ensure he wouldn't suffer from any painful awakenings. He never enjoyed waking up to one of his "withdrawals" and desperately reach for his small pouch in the morning. He slowly closed his eyes and dozed off into a comfortable, serene sleep.

* * *

"Okay, okay, okay. Maybe it wasn't worth the torture..!" Hidetsu whined as he spat blood out of his mouth, tied behind a wooden pole with multiple bruises. He was only being slapped and kicked by Esdese and he felt as if he was being beaten by clubs.

For a woman, she was quite strong.

As punishment, Esdese subjugated him to torture for his truancy, and the fact that he was no match for "two rebels" as told by nearby scouts. She knew that he most likely dozed off and went "exploring" for humans. Because of this, she "personally" handled the torture herself for this.

She had no time for hindrances.

Esdese sighed. "Hidetsu, you're wasting my time. Why have any use for you if you aren't obedient? But further more.."

Esdese walked up to him, kicking him in the gut. Hidetsu grunted as blood escaped between his gritted teeth. It dripped down to his exposed ragged shorts. He gasped and coughed, smiling all the way.

"..K-Keheh.. **guh..! Fuck..**" Hidetsu choked on his blood. "Ow. You hit hard.."

"..the fact that you someone of your level couldn't handle two Night Raid members is not only a disgrace to your existence, but to the strong. You disappoint me." She told him, staring at him with venomous eyes.

_"Shit, she knows."_

Esdese prepared to backhand him across his face, but Hidetsu spoke up.

"Tch.. I.. did my mission. Besides, they got one hell of a new member..!" Hidetsu laughed, spitting out any excess blood that was enveloped in his mouth. "That Koukenji traitor that the Prime Minister's been mongering about.. it's him."

Esdese barely stopped her hand from reaching his face. With sharp, but straight expression, she stepped back once.

"Hmm.. is that so?" Esdese crossed her arms as a grin across her face began to crack. _"If that criminal is truly on the other side, then maybe there'll be more fun. Fufufu, Najenda truly has been retrieving interesting pawns."_

"Damn armored guy was there too, and I nearly got killed by some sniper.." Hidetsu lied, hiding the fact that he was already killed but was revived, as if nothing had happened. "Heh, if I were to say, I think Najenda's getting some talented people, eh?"

"Perhaps." Esdese agreed. "Regardless, we will weed them out without fail."

"Oh good." Hidetsu smiled, before returning to his pained expression. "Um, so hey.. can you untie me?"

"It seems that your time is up, but before that.." Esdese brought one of her legs up and slammed her heel down one of Hidetsu's knees.

**"Gah! Agh! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" **Hidetsu screamed, gasping heavily.

"..I hope that you do more better next time, or I will subject you to Hard Torture A." Esdese threatened, glaring at him with deathly eyes.

**"Okay, okay! I got it, Esdese-sama! Just stop it with that creepy-ass stare~!" **Hidetsu begged, writhing with the ropes around him.

* * *

All of the Jaegars had successfully returned from all of their missions, but Wave had decided that he was going to wait for Hidetsu to return from the punishment. Wave couldn't help but be compassionate for one of his allies. With a roll of bandages in his hand, he waited around the room of where he was alone with Esdese.

_"Darn.. he's really taking a while-" _Wave immediately snapped out of his thoughts as he saw Hidetsu, bruised, bleeding, and limping on one leg. Not to mention that he was- Calm?

He was shocked, seeing Hidetsu have a nonchalant face as he limped towards his room. He tumbled and fell down with a loud thump. Wave ran over to him to check what had happened and crouched to the injured boy.

"Hey, Hidetsu!" He yelled to him, turning him around on his back. "What happened?!"

"Um, Esdese-sama kicked my ass?" Hidetsu uttered. "I got my ass kicked and I deserved it. I guess."

"You look horrible!" Wave pointed out. "You alright?

"Well, Wave.. when your pissed off boss slaps you and kicks you in the gut for thirty minutes, you tend to look like shit." Hidetsu said sarcastically. "And, **no! I am not okay~!"**

"Y-Your left knee! It looks busted!" Wave attempted to place him on his feet. "Let's get you up, okay?"

"No worries, bed rest'll do." Hidetsu stared up at him with a blank stare. "Can you drag me?"

Now, Wave had a confused look on his face. "..Eh?"

"I watched this one play in the theaters a while back, and this lady was being dragged by this guy who was a murderer or something by her armpits or something." Hidetsu explained. "Can you do that to me?"

"Wh-What?! No!" Wave refused.

"If you don't do it, I'll tell boss that you forgot to-"

"Okay, okay! Fine!" Wave dragged Hidetsu with how he wanted to be dragged, not wanting to be victim to Esdese's tortures again. As he was being dragged, Hidetsu was smirking all the way.

"Why the hell were you waiting out here? I thought you went back to your room." Hidetsu asked while being dragged.

"Hmph, I just wasn't gonna leave my comrade to crawl back to his room, now was I?" Wave smiled with his head high up.

"Bullshit." Hidetsu called. "You're doing this for something."

"No, really, it's just me being a good ally!" Wave denied.

Hidetsu chuckled. "You're such a "kind" dumbass. You're gonna die one day, you know."

"Heh! I'm not gonna die any time soon!" Wave responded, determined.

"Are you really gonna jinx-"

When both Wave and Hidetsu turned a corner, they encountered Kurome, who was heading to the kitchen to get "something". Wave stared at her with a goofy expression and Hidetsu returned back with a matching expression of Kurome. Both of them were blank and stared at each other. Wave turned his head back and forth to both Hidetsu and Kurome.

"O-Oh! Kurome! I was just h-helping out Hidetsu after he was.. uh!" Wave stuttered.

"Hi there." Hidetsu said, tilting his head at Kurome. "What? Never seen a man drag another man somewhere?"

Kurome was silent for a moment, not changing her expression. "Idiots." She insulted before walking past them.

Wave and Hidetsu turned their heads behind to see Kurome walking down the hall. Hidetsu took one look at her, then at Wave as he sighed.

"Man, just watch, she's gonna so fall for you in like, forty days." Hidetsu said to him.

"You think so?!" Wave was surprised at Hidetsu's comment and slightly blushed.

"Kehehehehe." Hidetsu cackled as he stared at Wave, his teasing smile spreading across his entire face."Just kidding~!"

"Hey.. that's cruel.." Wave's left eye twitched.

* * *

_"It's all over."_

_"No, it isn't."_

_"Yes it is! I.. I should have never opened it! I'm going to die.."  
_

_"_**_You won't! _**_I will make sure you come through! I promise!"__  
_

_"You're lying."_

_"I will help you!"_

_"I.. I can't think.. I feel so sick. I can hear it.. I.. I can see it.."_

_"Yasune."_

_"I can close my ears, but it's still there. My vision can go dark.. but I.. I can still see it..!"_

_"Yasune!"_

_"I can't stop hearing those damn voices! Make it stop! **Please help!**"_

**_"Yasune!"_**

* * *

Yasune jolted up and yelped. He was sweating all over and his pillow felt wet. The glowing moon radiated through the purple skies and shined past Yasune's open window. Yasune brought the upper half of his body up and wiped the sweat off his head. It had happened again. Another unfortunate night without a good rest. He sighed heavily and covered his face in his hands.

Suddenly, pain began to grow. Everywhere.

Worst of all, he began to whispers. Those accursed whispers.

The voices were beginning to return. He began to shake his head in denial.

He released his hands from his face, realizing that his hands were shaking more and more as time went on. Upon feeling warm blood beneath his nose, he began to desperately reach for his medicine. He quickly took two pills and gulped them down, slowly relieving himself. He burrowed his head with his arms for a few seconds before calming down, leaving an expression of dread and depression on his face.

He had another nightmare. Not a repeated one, but a new one. He hated new nightmares. He was unsure how to confront them and always panicked, waking up in screams and withdrawals. It was hell for him to repeat the nightmares every single day of his life.

Ever since the day that he opened that tainted box.

Yasune, still covered with his blanket from the waist up, stared at his hand again. It was stable now, but for how long? How long would it be before he felt like he would lose his mind again? He was not afraid of anything, only afraid of losing his sanity.

Becoming a monster was an outcome that Yasune would not enjoy.

_"I'm fine. I don't hear them anymore.." _Yasune mentally said to himself. _"Why am I worrying!? I'll be fine!"_

Licking the blood off his nose, he put his jacket, strapping both of his sword scabbards behind his waist and walked down to the kitchen to obtain something to drink to calm his muscles. Anything would work. He didn't care what it was.

Anything that comforted him, even for just a moment.

He managed to find the kitchen and began to search for some water.

As he began to search from, he heard a light creak from behind him. It came from the large table that many of his associates ate on.

The moment he had heard the creak, he snapped around and drew one of his blades.

**"Who is it..?!"** He raised his slightly shaky voice as he pointed the blade near the darkness of the table.

"I always thought that you didn't live, even after seeing the wanted papers." It was girl's voice. It was slightly sympathetic, calm, and elegant. "It's.. really you."

He lowered his blade and returned it back into it's respective sheathe, knowing that it was impossible to infiltrate the base without any notice. The figure stood up and the moon's light began to reveal her face slowly.

He was sure that he heard that mysterious voice before. His memory was beginning to become more clearer about who he was thinking about. That girl in white. That black-haired and red-eyed girl in white.

The girl that had spared him on the night that he was supposed to die on.

He realized that he was thinking about that red-eyed girl he had met several years ago. That girl who spared his life. He didn't know whether it was out of compassion or on a lucky whim that he was spared, but he would most likely never know.

It couldn't be her. All of his old friends or relatives were dead.

Yasune had already accepted that "she" had died a long time ago. She had died in the field of battle.

But why did this girl sound so similar to her?

_"No.. it can't be her. She died a long time ago.." _Yasune kept on telling himself, but he wasn't in high beliefs anymore. He was skeptical now.

Yasune was wide-eyed throughout the entire revealing of her appearance. He began to see that she wore red gauntlets with black gloves. She also had long black socks and black shoes. She wore a dark and sleeveless mini dress, along with a white collar and a red tie. The girl even had a red belt that covered a part of her short skirt.

Then, he saw it.

That long, black hair that only "she" could have.

Upon seeing her red eyes, he became shocked, being shown her entire self. The girl had a content smile on her face before him, relieved to have been reunited with her long lost friend who she assumed "never made it". He slightly stepped back as she walked forward, a little taken aback by her appearance.

"I'm glad.. to see you again, Yasune." She said to him, putting her hands together. "You.. you remember me, correct?"

"..." Yasune closed his eyes, attempting to remember her name.

After a few seconds, it came to him.

It came to him as clear as anything else ever would to him.

"Akame."

* * *

**Thank you for reading this chapter.**

**Review, follow, and favorite. Everything helps me.**

**Until next chapter, please be patient for the upcoming chapter five.**

**Due to some events, my stories will receive less updates and shall be harder to catch up. I will try to bring in chapters as fast as I can, but I can be quite busy with my own things.**

**I apologize for this, but the story will certainly continue going on. I am sure of it.**


	5. Kill the Horror

**_"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."_**

**_-Edmund Burke_**

* * *

**_Chapter Five: Kill the Horror_**

"Akame." Yasune said her name to recall the most deepest part of his mind. "Your name is Akame."

Akame nodded as her smile stood high. "Yes. Boss told me someone new had just joined us. She told me your name and something told me that it was you."

"You sound glad." Yasune pointed out. In reply, her smile broke along with her head slightly lowering down.

"I haven't seen you in years.." Akame commented, frowning. "I.. thought you died from your wounds."

"Well.. I haven't yet." Yasune responded. "I may as well do something before I go."

Yasune walked over to the table and slowly sat down on a chair, laying back and crossing his arms. For him, he had always assumed it would be great to see one of his closest friends, but he was very indifferent. Yasune didn't really care if Akame was revealed to be alive. It wasn't because he was self-centered or arrogant, as he was described.

Deep in his heart, he wanted to care but he just couldn't do so.

"So after I had left, what happened?" Yasune turned his head to Akame with a serious expression. "Tell me."

At this moment, Akame sighed and sat down near Yasune. She put her hands together on the table and hid her eyes from Yasune. While she was seen a calm and indifferent at most times, Akame appeared very sorrowful and pained as she recalled the days after Yasune had escaped from the empire. It hurt to recall such memories, but Yasune knew nothing.

It would have been a sin to keep everything from him.

"When you had left, Gozuki.. he was disappointed. In everyone." Akame began. "He "disowned" all of us and we were reassigned to different posts around the capital. But.. he didn't let me go."

"He kept you."

"Yes." Akame confirmed. "He told me.. that if I could continue working for him, then I would see Kurome again. My sister."

_"She had a sister?"_ Yasune thought, surprised.

"We were quite close, but you felt that I didn't deserve to know that?" Yasune asked, curious.

"It was my burden to bear." Akame answered. "I didn't want you to see me as a "selfish" person."

"Did you get to see her?"

"Yes, but she refused to leave with me to the Revolutionary army." Akame revealed. "After boss convinced me to join her, I left. My goal to see her again.. wasn't what I had wanted it to be."

"And your friends?"

"They're all either dead or still alive somehow." Akame replied. "I hope I may see them again."

Yasune scoffed. "They would most likely want to kill me for what I did to Najasho.."

"What he did wasn't justified." Akame told him, her head rising up to his level. "I know what you did was for the best."

"Tch.. there's no good in murder." Yasune said. "You and I both know that. Don't try to mix sympathy with murder."

"..I know." Akame muttered. "You're right, but you're not a monster."

"We're all monsters." Yasune countered.

Akame frowned and sighed. "You've changed a lot. I notice that."

"It's been many years. I was bound to change into a different person." Yasune replied. "I'm not proud of it, but I don't hate myself."

"I've been hearing.. that the others aren't getting along with you. That doesn't sound like you, Yasune." Akame brought up.

Yasune chuckled, knowing that Tatsumi must have told her. _"That brown-haired weasel."_

"I know that you don't like to talk much, but you don't resent us do you?" Akame asked.

Yasune scoffed. "Not if you don't resent me." Yasune leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "I'm only doing what a comrade with half a brain should do: I don't have to know you or like you, but I'll make sure everyone is alive after all of this. That's what my heart tells me."

Akame smiled at his statement, slightly touched. "You really are a kind person, just like you always were."

Yasune stared into her red eyes and averted his eyes, leaving a red, but unnoticeable burn around his cheeks. "Tch, I'm just making sure everyone doesn't do anything stupid.. that's all. Especially you. If Najenda thinks so highly of you, then it's best that you're alive at the end than the rest of us. I'm sure you'll be fine by yourself, eh?"

Akame felt her heart drop. She couldn't imagine being the only one in the end.

She didn't understand why she did it, but she jumped up from her seat and grabbed Yasune by his jacket harshly. Yasune became slightly surprised, then irritated at the girl grasping his jacket so hard.

"What do you think you're doing? Let me go now." Yasune ordered, slightly growling.

"Me..? Alone in the end?" Akame's voice was slightly shaking. On the verge of breaking. "What.. what makes you think I'll be fine..!?"

"What's going on with you?" Yasune asked, confused.

"You think that I'll be fine with only myself in the end?" Akame said. Her voice began to slightly break as her head was still down. "I.. I can't think of being by myself anymore! When I thought you died, I hurt so much for me to lose a friend! I.. don't want to be all by myself.."

He saw it. Those showering eyes of pain. The people who appeared so strong before him were truthfully the most fragile people Yasune had ever met. No matter the cause, Yasune couldn't resist feeling pity for those who cried. It was sad and made him rethink not only on his actions, but the times he had used to cry as well.

The times he cried out of depression and grief for the loss of the people close to him.

When he thought more about it, he even remembered how he used to contemplate suicide. He was mentally unstable during his first days in the army.

It was a little irritating, but made him calm about his old self.

Yasune had always thought about returning to his old personality.

That wouldn't do any good to him in the time of conflict. It would only make him weak. What he had assumed for kindness, was truly just him being weak and naive. But this time, perhaps he could make an exception.

Just for his old friend, who was somebody that, in a way, he cared about.

While she was whimpering, Yasune hesitantly brought his hand up to her head and patted it. As he did this, he looked away and grunted in annoyance. Maybe there was no exception at all, but there was no return. Akame stopped grasping his jacket so hard and looked at him with a confused expression. Yasune was told that patting a girl's head would calm them down.

The person that told him so was a young soldier from another village, who was apparently a "ladies man".

"I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry, okay..?!" Yasune turned his eyes to her, averting them away from her and grunted. "Just stop crying, please. Y-You're dangerously close as well, so.. so can you let me go?"

Akame went wide-eyed for a moment before releasing a laugh. She let him go and pushed him away as she wiped her eyes. "I apologize."

Yasune sighed, patting his damp jacket, still averting his vision from her as he scratched his head. "Ugh.."

"I'll enjoy working with you.. Yasune." Akame stated. "Thank you. I'll take my leave."

_"Thank me for what? Patting your head like a idiotic buffoon?"_ Yasune responded in his mind.

Yasune sat back down and sighed in relief and covered his face with both of his hands. He didn't understand why he did that. It was the most embarrassing thing he had ever done in his life.

He wanted to scream and scream until he forgot everything.

As he was done processing what he had just done, he released his hands from his face. Then, he noticed a drip of blood on his right index finger. His nose began to trickle with blood, landing on his right hand.

This time, he only felt a jolt of pain. No intense shock or outbreaks. Nothing.

Once his nose began to bleed more slowly, Yasune wiped off the excess blood on his nose with his left hand.

* * *

On the other side, there was blood being spilled that night.

By merely one person. Someone sent by Esdese herself.

**"Haah.. oH nO.. mUh.. gUtS ArE gunna sPheel OuT.. oH nOO.."** Hidetsu huffed like a mad man, grasping the bleed wound on his abdomen. **"rEd.. Is.. SOO pWetTy.. but so.. nAAtsy.."**

Four revolutionary scouts, spotted near the capital were ordered to be killed. Without the necessity to cause a big scene with all of the Jaegers, Esdese ordered Hidetsu to personally "intercept" the threat.

However, it seemed that it was too much for him. Or so it seemed.

"The empire.. brought this one weakling?!" One of the men were confused. "He's sputtering out some kind of crazy stuff too!"

"They must be getting desperate. Those animals, using kids to fight for them."

"It doesn't matter now. We have to kill him before anyone else comes."

"Don't think badly of us, boy! It is nothing personal!"

The four men charged at the injured person at once with their weapons. At that moment, Hidetsu grinned.

**"Just kidding."**

_"Huh..?" _One of the men thought as they felt a giant force hit the center of their chest.

In just an instant, the boy was behind them. It took all of them several seconds to notice that they were hit in the location of their hearts, but the force was great enough to stop their function. They all gasped and one by one, they fell dead as their hearts failed and stopped.

Before one of them had died, he took a final glimpse at the boy who had his head arched back to them with a devilish grin. He saw something shocking.

_Shhhhhsss..._

His wound was closing at an abnormal rate as steam arose from it. It seemed so much faster than an organic Teigu's ability to regenerate. No longer was the wound bleeding.

It was healing.

**"H-How..?" **He groaned as he fell down to the ground, dead.

"Nothing personal, huh?" Hidetsu cackling and grinning as they each fell down with their final breaths. "Well then.. don't think so badly of me too, fuckers."

Hidetsu pulled his head forward, cracking his back and yawning.

"God, I'm so tired of this.." He complained as he saw his ruined ragged robes. "I'm gonna have to wash this stuff.. and sow this **shit **again!"

Hidetsu looked back at the four dead bodies behind him. Once he he saw those unspoiled bodies, he began to get madly curious. Almost insanely.

At that moment, an "idea" shot into his mind. He had another evil smile on his face and cracked his fingers.

"You know.. you guys tried to kill me you know. I doubt you need your bodies in the afterlife.." Hidetsu talked to the dead bodies as if they were alive. He then crouched to them once he was beneath them, twinkling his fingers crazily. **"Since I killed you and no one needs your bodies, you don't mind if I take a teeny tiny look at you, right?"**

**CRACK! SNAP! SPLISH!**

**Bloop.. bloop..**

**"Oh shit, I think I got the wrong gender here. Ooh, I wonder what's inside a human skull. I need extra hair for my clothes anyways.."**

* * *

**Short chapter due to it being mainly a closing point of both Yasune's and Akame's reunion.**

**Also, to showcase more of Hidetsu, a killer with an ****obsession to "examine" others.**


	6. Kill The Mission

_**"****Life is simple, but we insist on making it complicated.**"_

_**-Confucius**_

* * *

**Chapter Six: Kill the Mission**

Over the past next weeks, both factions from both sides were hit by an alarming threat of a new species of humanoid Danger Beasts being rampant throughout the land. To oppose this problem, the Jaegers were dispatched to several places that contained the majority of the Danger Beast activity. Not far from the south of the capital, both Hidetsu and Wave were both dispatched to a location, deep in a heavily vegetated forest to rid of the beasts.

"Just one job after another.." Hidetsu muttered, cracking his fists after killing the majority of the monsters. **"Hey.. Wave.."**

"Uh.. what is it?" He responded, nervous.

"Are we having tuna or meat tonight?" Hidetsu blurted out, taking Wave off guard.

"...I'm.. not sure."

"Ah, I see." Hidetsu noticed one of the monsters gurgling after he had beaten it half to death.

"**Gh.. gh...!**" The monster growled at Hidetsu, agitating him.

Hidetsu stomped at the Danger Beast below him multiple times. "You..! Piece..! Of..! Shit..! Stay..! **Down..!**" He repeated, stomping the monster until it could only be described as a "squashed tomato". Hidetsu calmed down and wiped the blood off his face.

Wave was quite shocked by the scene. While he hated how dark it seemed, he could do nothing to go against it.

It was simply a part of his job.

He was only a soldier, and he was going to do what he was told so he could uphold his service to a man he had once served before being reassigned to the Jaegers.

"Wave," Hidetsu turned to him, putting his arms behind his head. "lets get the fuck out of here, already."

* * *

Night Raid, on the other hand, was conducting the same operation as the Jaegers. Both groups from both sides were eliminating the Danger Beasts that were told to not only be problems to the innocent, but to the Revolutionary and Imperial forces as well. In response, they were all dispatched in two-man groups to further increase the speed of ridding the beasts.

Yasune had the misfortune of being paired with his old friend, Akame.

He was sure that Najenda was obtaining some kind of enjoyment with the coincidental pair-up. It was always her thing to tease him at times, despite of how "unlike" of her it was do such things.

Yasune could do nothing but curse her name under his breath.

As Yasune was finished hacking away at the humanoid monster, he crouched down to it so he could examine the remains. He could notice the slight stitches across the monster and the large black nails on it's right hand. Yasune then began to remember how it acted like a typical fighter. It always waited for a moment to attack, not recklessly charging like any other Danger Beast.

He wasn't sure on the cause of the blackened nails, but it was impossible for any known Danger Beast to have black nails.

And to have nails that look suspiciously similar to human nails.

Before Yasune could make a conclusion, his thoughts were interrupted by Akame's voice behind him.

"Yasune."

He jumped up immediately and turned around. "What?"

Akame had a concerned expression. "Are you okay? You.. look pale. And your nose." She pointed out.

"Hm?" Yasune touched his nose, noticing a red substance on his fingers. "I-I'm fine.. the monster must have grazed me."

"Are you sick?" She asked?

"No.. I'm fine." Yasune began to become agitated by her words.

"I can-"

"I said, **I am fine!**" Yasune walked past her, covering his nose as he took out his bottle of his medication from his waist pouch. "Come on! We're going someplace else, correct?"

"..." Akame nodded. "Yes."

Both assassins continued to travel to their next location, which was said to contain Danger Beast activity. As they traveled on the large dirt road, Yasune began to remember certain parts of the path. The landscape began to become very clear to him.

He had been here before. A long time ago.

When he had realized where the path was near, his entire body stopped. He was in utter fear.

He couldn't go near that place. Yasune would lose control, he'd break down. Yasune wanted nothing more than to forget. He'd rather die than remember the place he had once lived in.

When Akame no longer heard the additional footsteps, she stopped and looked behind her. She saw Yasune stop with a shockingly terrified expression. Akame was stunned by this expression and walked up to him.

"You look uneasy, Yasune." Akame said. "You're not fine at all."

"N-No.. I-I just.." Yasune stuttered, looking away from her with a saddened expression. "..I don't want to go down this path anymore. I refuse."

"Why not?" Akame asked. "There's nothing ahead of us but-"

She stopped right away, realizing what was near their location. A part of her wanted to speak up to him and reveal what he was afraid of.

But she couldn't bring herself to make him suffer more.

"I.. I can't explain. But, I won't go down there. **I won't!**" Yasune blurted, slightly backing away.

"..." Akame showed understood his reasons, despite how selfish it was. She couldn't blame him. After everything that had happened to him, it was no surprise he was suffering from some sort of mental disorder. "We could look for another path."

Yasune sighed in relief, nodding.

_Thump.._

_Thump..._

_Thump._

_Thump!_

A mysterious sound began to emit from the right side, which was covered with the vegetation of the forest. Akame and Yasune noticed the sound that was beginning to become louder by the second. They immediately drew their weapons and guarded themselves against the incoming force.

Suddenly, they became shocked when they heard a vulgar voice emit from the source as well.

**"Die running, you mangy-looking piece of shit!" **It was a rather young voice.

"Akame!"

"I know!"

**BOOM!**

Both Yasune and Akame dodged out of the way when a giant humanoid creature flew out from the forest, leaving a giant screen of smoke.

**CRACK!**

The sound of bones being broken was soon heard as the smoke began to subside. When everything was clear, both of them saw a pale boy who was no younger or older than them on top of the dead beast. He hopped off and patted himself down.

"The things I put up with you, Esdese-sama.." He muttered, before looking in front of him. He was surprised to encounter two armed humans in front of him.

One of them, he knew.

"Hey~!" He yelled over, waving. "Hi there, again~!"

_"Impossible." _Yasune was shocked, realizing it was the person that Mein had killed two weeks ago.

"Who is this person?" Akame questioned, turning to Yasune.

"He's.. that thing I fought when I had took the mission with Tatsumi." Yasune answered. "Mein had surely killed him.. so why is he alive..?"

Akame turned her vision to the figure who was several feet away from them. She wasn't sure who the pale human was in front of them, but she knew that he was a threat. If he was indeed the person who attacked her allies, then she had to eliminate him.

"So I guess that you're both Night Raid members, right?" Hidetsu asked, slowly walking to them. _"Heh, since I decided to go ahead of Wave, I suppose I can have some fun to myself."_

"What does it matter to you?" Yasune said.

"Well, I'm a Jaeger." Hidetsu revealed, cracking his fists. "So that means I get to kill you with impunity, right? You guys are a bunch of rebellious dogs that need to know how to behave."

"So he is a threat." Akame grabbed her blade with both of her hands, preparing to lunge at him. "I will eliminate him."

Yasune sighed, positioning into his battle stance. "It seems that every day, we're encountering abominations. What a hassle."

"Man.. this is kind of unfair~!" Hidetsu complained sarcastically. "You two have Teigus and all I've got are these fists of mine."

Akame charged first, with Yasune following. Hidetsu scoffed, shielding his center mass with his forearms. Akame drove the tip of her blade at his chest. Hidetsu smirked at her and came down with one of his fists below her, slapping her blade up. To avoid being hit, Akame jumped up into the air as high as she could.

_"What a one-trick pony! Jumping into the air won't help!"_

"Watch where you're looking, freak." Hidetsu chuckled as he heard the venomous words of his second opponent, charging at him.

"Didn't your mommy ever teach you how to stay the fuck out of other people's ways~?" Hidetsu teased. He pulled back one of his legs and swung it at Yasune, who blocked it with his blades. However, the force was as strong as the first time he had blocked his attacks. They were heavy and quick.

"Guh..!"

Yasune's ability to parry his attacks were futile and he was flown back, falling on his back and losing his grip on his right sword. It flew out of his hand, far away from where he was.

Hidetsu did not forget about the enemy above him. He turned his head up to the girl above him, her blade coming down at his head. He pulled back his right hand, curled in a fist, preparing to swing at her as she began to come down closer.

"_Stupid bitch! I'll break her entire skull and kill-"_

**SKIIISH!**

**"Guah! Damn!"**

Hidetsu grunted in pain as he felt a sharp blade penetrate his abdomen. When he looked down, he saw that a short and broad sword was plunged deep in the location of his stomach. Yasune stared at him with a sharp expression of determination that had allowed him to throw his blade at his enemy.

Hidetsu had little time to prime his attack against Akame. With one arm, he attempted to block her attack with his forearm.

However, the force of her coming down at him was more than enough to penetrate through his armor-like skin.

"Eliminate."

**SHULK!**

Akame had dealt a clean cut on his forearm. Knowing that it was already over, she hopped back to her partner and watched as the poison began to kill the enemy.

Or so she thought.

"Tch, that blade is so cheap." Hidetsu scoffed.

Without hesitation, Hidetsu grabbed his right arm and twisted it.

**CRACK! SNAP!**

With an inhuman-like force, he tore his right arm off and it fell on the ground, not moving a muscle.

_"What?!" _Yasune was shocked. How could someone tear off their arm without so much as a flinch?

"_..He tore off his own arm before Murasame's poison could flow into his heart." _Akame thought as she was equally surprised by the scene.

As blood gushed out from his open wound, Hidetsu sighed and grabbed the wound hardly.

**"Hmmmrgh!" **He grunted as the wound began to slowly stop bleeding.

As Akame noticed the wound was beginning to "heal" up, she related it to Leone's ability to recover. However, this was on a whole new level. Not only did it happen in just mere seconds, it seemed that Hidetsu had little trouble with the healing factor.

"Hah, you bitch. You made me tear off my arm." Hidetsu said. "That's a little cheap, you know."

"Your skin was quite tough and your strength is beyond human." Akame countered. "We're even."

"I want to ask you something, Jaeger." Yasune called out.

"Yeah, what do you want?" Hidetsu growled.

"You're here to eliminate the Danger Beasts as well, correct?"

Hidetsu chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, so what? We're all after the same thing. Enemy of my enemy is my friend, or something like that, right?"

"Hm, is that so?" Yasune rubbed his chin. "Let's go, Akame."

"Are we just going to leave him alive?" Akame responded. "That's not what the others would-"

"It doesn't matter. We're wasting time with this freak." Yasune countered as he turned around to the road. "The Jaegers aren't our mission and if waste more time fighting so worthlessly, those Danger Beasts may move somewhere else. Besides, we'll let them have their moment. It's only a matter of time before they all die anyways."

"Look at you, letting an enemy live." Hidetsu put his left hand to his chest. "I'm touched."

"It doesn't matter if I let you live here." Yasune replied. "Sooner or later, you'll be dead. Either by me or anyone else."

"I like challenges." Hidetsu scratched his head. "I accept!"

"I don't care for any of your remarks. Go back to whatever scum pile you came from." Yasune began to walk away. "Come on, Akame. We'll find another way without any "hindrances" to our location."

Without a word, Akame followed him. It was odd how Yasune just let his enemy go. She couldn't understand why he would spare his enemy. Perhaps he was still a human being. A regular human being who was trying to hold on to his own humanity.

But that was only her. Maybe she was right, maybe she was wrong.

Akame always attempted to forget about any thoughts she had about him, but that only made her feel more concerned about him.

And, in a way, she wanted to know more about what had happened to him after he had departed.

* * *

When both of them were gone in the distance, Hidetsu stretched his back and turned to his lifeless limb. As he crouched down to obtain it, he hesitated. He certain that the strain of Muramasa's poison was still inside of it.

Then, after realizing so, he had an interesting idea.

An idea that he would surely make worth of his time.

"Hmm. I have to thank you, girl.." Hidetsu took out a large vial from out of his torn rags. "I could make something out of this strain of deadly poison that you left me."

* * *

After the battle, once their mission was finished, both Yasune and Akame regrouped with the others back at their hideout. With all of their efforts, the humanoid Danger Beasts began somewhat die down for both sides. Once they informed Najenda about the results of their mission, Najenda understood what had happened and told everyone to "standby" for their next move.

Yasune, in the mean time, secluded himself in his room. As he always did during the late night

In meditation, he rethought of his actions with his enemy. Was it the right choice? He must have been thinking for hours, as his room began to get darker and darker.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts and he jumped off his bed to open his door. Upon opening it, he saw that it was Najenda.

What did she want at such a late hour?

"Get yourself ready." She ordered. "I'm sending you into a mission by yourself."

Yasune was suspicious. "Myself?"

"That's what I said." Najenda confirmed. "I'm sending you to Koukenji."


End file.
